Mail-room method of packaging newspapers and newspaper distribution package



Oct. 3, 1961 J. N. DEACONSON ETAL 3,002,324

MAIL-ROOM METHOD OF PACKAGING NEWSPAPERS -AND NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION PACKAGE Filed June 29, 1956 Newspapers l IHHHHHHHH Fig.3

INVENTORS JAMES N. DEACONSON DONALD D. DISSLY ATTORNEY Fig.5

United Stes Patent 3,002,324 MAIL-ROOM METHOD 9F PACKAGING NEWS- PAPERS AND NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION PACKAGE 510 Foothill Road, Sellersburg, Ind.,

James N. Deaconson,

and Donald D. Dissly, 226 E. Carter Ave., Clarksville,

Ind.

Filed June 29, 1956, Ser. No. 594,7 95 '14 Claims. (Cl. 53-26) The present day mail-room process of handling and packaging newspapers for distribution to carrier drop points involves a large number of manually performed operations which renders the process slow and correspondingly expensive. For example, in up-to-date newspaper plants, the press delivery fan, operating at high press speeds, discharges a fast moving continuous succession of folded newspapers in overlapping relationship with their folded edges foremost. The fan discharges the papers into an endless conveyor, which has its kicker set to indicate the end of each standard count (i.e., a group of 25 or 50 overlapping newspapers, depending upon the number of pages in each newspaper) by knocking the end paper out of conventional alignment. This endless conveyor delivers the overlapping paper into the mail-room Where they are wrapped and tied into uniform regular bundles containing the standard count and into non-uniform key bundles containing odd numbers of papers.

In forming standard count bundles, each Worker, at the paper receiving station in the mail-room, manually telescopes a standard count of newspapers into superposed or stack-forming relationship, lifts and bodily carries the stack to a Wrapping station where he reverses the position of enough newspapers (e.g., 25 in a 50 count package) to even up the stack, covers the bottom and top of the stack with pre-cut sheets of brown wrapping paper, ties them tightly together to form a firm package or bundle and then delivers the bundle to and places it on either a floor truck or a chute leading to a delivery truck loading platform. In some cases,; the bundles are fed to a machine which ties them with wire.

Each key bundle is specially made for a given drop point. For example, if one carrier has a route calling for 82 papers, the mail-room will wrap 32 papers into a key bundle, address that particular key bundle to its drop point and note on it that one standard package should also be delivered at that particular drop point. In handling this key bundle at the loading platform, the truck delivery operatorobserves that it calls'for one standard package and loads his truck accordingly so that at each dropping point he can drop the requisite key bundle and as many standard count packages as may be required.

The foregoing is intended to show that the present day mail-room practice has many manually performed operations and these slow down its performance. As a matter of fact, the speed of the mail-room process determines the speed or output rate of the press. For example, while the top press speed today is 60,000 papers per hour, the average press output is held by the mail-room to the neighborhood of 30,000 to 40,000 papers per hour.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a novel paper handling and packaging mail-room process which is simpler, faster and less expensive than the present day process and which may be manually per- 3,45%2324 Patented Oct. 7 3, 1961 Kit? formed with substantial advantage over the present day practice or automatically performed with greater advantages through the use of relatively simple mechanical means; and to provide a novel newspaper package which can be easily and quickly formed at high press speeds, which can be used with equal facility for both standard count and key bundle purposes, which is readily portable Without requiring its full weight to be lifted, which is of rugged and durable construction sufiicient to withstand the rough handling these bundles normally receive during packaging and distribution and which provides good weather protection for the papers.

Other important objects are: to eliminate, or reduce to a drastic degree, the existing operations of lifting and flying the newspapers into stacks, reversing half of the stack, covering the top and bottom of the bundles with pre-cut sheets of paper, tying the bundles with rope or Wire and specially wrapping the key bundles.

In carrying out our invention, an elongate standard count group of newspapers, in the flat row-forming overlapping relationship which the individual papers of the group occupy when they are conventionally delivered to the mail-room, is packaged into a flat bundle preferably by enclosing them within a flat envelope of Wrapping paper or equivalent wrapping material. Broadly speaking, the papers may be packaged by any suitable means into a flat elongate bundle in which the papers remain in overlapping relationship. Preferably they are packaged by performing the following process: place the row upon a relatively longer and wider bottom strip of wrapping material; cover each side margin of the top face of the row with a strip of wrapping material; and secure said strips to each other so as to hold the strip covering each top side margin in place and to cause it to cooperate with said bottom strip to form a row-enclosing elongate envelope, which preferably is of flat C-shape in cross section with a centrally disposed slot extending substantially the full length of the row. One end, and preferably both ends, of this envelope may be closed.

A flat elongate package of this character has many advantages. Among these are: it may be so easily and quickly formed as to enable the mail-room to accommodate all press speeds; it is highly portable, rugged and durable; it may be easily handled, either as an elongate package or folded upon itself; it is usable, with equal facility, as a standard count package and, in elongate form, as a key bundle; and it provides good weather protection when folded.

Our invention is illustrated in the ings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a standard count of overlapping newspapers placed upon a wider and longer strip of wrapping material;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding plan view after the paperenclosing envelope is formed by covering the top side margins and seeming the covering in place;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a small portion of the enclosing envelope, this view being partly broken along a line corresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 2, the enclosed papers being omitted for the sake of clearness;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one corner of the enclosing envelope after its adjacent end has been closed by folding it inwardly but before that end is flattened and secured in place;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a standard package folded twice into a bundle of three layers and taped to hold it in its folded position;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat schematic elevational view of an arrangement for feeding the bottom wrapping strip in a process for continuously producing newspaper packages of the type embodying the present invention;

accompanying draw- FIG. 7 is a plan view showing several spaced standard count groups of newspapers as they appear on a single strip after the feeding operation of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of FIG. 7 after the packaging has been completed and some of the packages severed from adjacent packages; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective of a modified form of package.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate our invention in its simplest form. In FIG. 1, a succession of overlapping folded newspapers 1, forming a standard count row of predetermined width (approx. 15") and desired length (say 60"), is positioned upon an elongate strip of strong wrapping paper 2 of relatively greater width (approx. 30") and length (say 75") so that its opposite side margins 3 and end margins 4 project laterally and longitudinally from the sides and the ends respectively of the standard count row folded upwardly around the sides of the row and horizontally over the side margins of the top of the row to form a wrapping paper envelope enclosing the row of newspapers.

This envelope preferably is of upwardly open C-shape in cross section providing a centrally disposed longitudinally extending slot 5 which correspondingly exposes all newspapers in the row, the envelope otherwise covering the bottom face, the side edges and the side margins of the top face of the row. It may be desired by some operators to complete the transverse enclosure of the row and thereby eliminate the slot 5 in which event the folded top margins 3 are brought into engagement with each other.

Naturally, the side margins 3 must be held in their folded positions in order to retain the newspapers. This may be done conveniently with cross strips 6 extending from one margin to the other and secured to both by staples, adhesives or otherwise. In FIG. 2, one such cross strip 6 is shown atthe center of the row. This cross strip 6 has its opposite ends overlapped by and secured to the inner faces of the side margins} of the envelope by glue patches 7. If desired, the ends of cross strip 6 may overlap the side margins 3 of the envelope.

At least one end of the C-envelope is closed either partially or completely to retain the papers against accidental endwise removal therefrom. In FIG. 2, this is conveniently done at the left end of the package by additionally glue bonding the side margins 3 to the bottom face of the paper strip 2 through glue patches 8. Both patches 7 and 8 may be formed on the inner face of the envelope. Probably the most satisfactory form of package is to close both ends of the C-sha'ped envelope. Accordingly, both ends of the envel 'p'e may be closed either by gluing the side margins 3 to the bottom of strip 2 with appropriate glue patches 8 as illustrated at the left end of FIG. 2 or by folding its end margin 4 inwardly over the strip 2 to form a transverse end flap also designated 4, which completely crosses the strip, and by securing the end flap 4 in its folded position through any suitable se curing means such as the staples 9 indicated.

As a standard count package, it can be conveyed from the mail room by the conveyor on which it is formed to the loading platform and there either stacked upon the platform or delivered to the truck. In either case, it may be loaded upon the truck by stacking each succeeding elongate package upon the top of the preceding package. Where it is to be unloaded at a drop point, it is a simple matter to fold the strip longitudinally at intervals approximating one-third ofits length and thus form a compact 3-layer bundle, the free end of which may be easily and quickly secured to the body ofthe package by applying a strip of adhesive tape 10. The resultant package is a tightone which completely encloses the papers and thus protects them against abrasion, dirt and weather.

A flat eiengate standard count package or this simply constructed character can be easily and quickly formed either manually or automatically. It is highly portable without requiring its full weight to be lifted since it may be grasped at one end and readily dragged from one place to another. Its ruggedness and durability is determined largely by the grade of wrapping paper used in its formation and, with a good grade of such paper, it can be made more than sufiicient to withstand the rough handling normally encountered in use.

A particular advantage of our invention is that it provides a standard count package in a form equally usable as a key bundle and thereby avoids the necessity of specially wrapping each key bundle. For example, the slots in the upper face of this package makes the entire row of newspapers within the package highly visible and instantly accessible at all times. If completely enclosed by the envelope so as to eliminate the slot 5, a suitable slot may be easily formed, in a standard count package Whenever its use as a key bundle is desired, by suitably cutting or slitting the wrapper or by tearing it open, in which event it should be provided with a tear strip.

With a suitable opening exposing the newspapers along the length of the package, they can be easily and quickly subdivided into key bundle lots by inserting key bundle cards 11 between overlapping newspapers at appropriate points along its length. Now, by stacking these key b1111- dle packages in elongate form and in flat superposed relationship on the delivery truck, the cards in the topmost bundle remain readily visible at all times while each key bundle lot of newspapers remains readily accessible at all times. Furthermore, when a key bundle lot is being delivered, along with a standard count package, the key bundle papers may be enclosed within one or more folds of the standard count package during the time the latter is being folded for delivery.

In FIGURES 6-8, the newspapers, as conventionally delivered into the mail-room, are deposited upon an endless conveyor 12 where an operator completely separates them at kicker points 13 so as to form successive standard counts or groups 14. The separation of the papers into small groups may be done manually at other places, even before they reach the mail-room. Obviously, it may be done mechanically and automatically at any convenient location. However and wherever separated, once the papers are on conveyor 12, it will convey them forwardly and delivers them to another conveyor 15 spaced slightly beyond its forward end.

In order to wrap the papers, a paper roll 16 is arranged o deliver a strip of paper also designated 16 to the top surface of the conveyor 15 underneath the overlying row of newspapers 14. Now as the papers move along conveyor 15, the strip 16 has its marginal edges progressively folded over and then held in place by cross strips 17 which are glue bonded to the strip 16 at patches 18 and 19. With further conveyor movement, the strip 16 is severed along lines 20 to divide it into separate sealed packages. 'Ihese standard count packages may be delivered by the conveyor 15 directly to the loading platform or to a chute leading to the loading platform or they may be guided onto a truck at the end of the conveyor where each package, in the flat elongated form in which it is received, is stacked on top of the preceding package.

Whenever required, a sealed separated package may be removed sidewise onto a dead table or roller type conveyor and there made into key bundles by inserting appropriate key bundle cards 11. Each card should be inserted to project from between appropriate newspapers with its projecting portion clearly visible. Each card would thus mark the end of the required number of key bundle papers for the drop point identified by the card. Additionally, it should indicate the number of standard count packages to be dropped at that same point.

In loading a truck for delivery, standard count packages may be located in two rows, say on one side of the delivery truck. Key bundle packages may then be loaded m the opposite side thereof so as to maintain a clear aisle herebetween from one end of the truck'to the other. At :he first drop, the truck driver Walks to the rear of the truck, cuts or otherwise opens the rear end of the top key bundle, and removes all newspapers up to the first key card removing the card at the same time. The driver now has the key bundle card and papers. From the card he can determine the number of standard count packages to be unloaded. As he removes one standard count package, he can fold it over one, two or three times to forma compact bundle and, while doing so, he can place the key bundle papers within one or more folds of that bundle. This package with or without key bundle papers can then be taped closed or left untaped as the driver sees fit. As soon as they are dropped, the driver is ready to proceed to the next delivery point.

In FIGURE 9 a slightly difierent form of envelope is indicated. Here a top strip 25, composed of any suitable material, preferably a transparent, heat sealable material, is fed over separated groups of standard count newspapers lying on a bottom strip 2. As both strips, with the newspapers sandwiched therebetween, move forwardly, their side and end margins 26 and 27 may be heat sealed or otherwise sealed together. A heat seal method of securement is preferred because the securing operation, which it involves, may be rapidly and simply performed. A top strip, which is transparent, is also preferred since it exposes the newspapers but it is not essential. This type of package may be provided with a center slot 5 when its use is desired on key bundles or such a slot may be formed in the strip as supplied to the newspaper plant for use on all packages including standard count. In place of a slot, spaced holes may be employed.

It will be appreciated that our mail-room process, as a manually performed process, is simpler and substantially faster than the prior mail-room process. It will also be appreciated that our process is capable of very rapid performance by relatively simple automatic means. In fact, it is believed that our process substantially frees the press room of all output limitations heretofore imposed by the mail-room and that speeds of 90,000 papers per hour and even substantially greater can now be readily achieved. We believe that a substantial proportion of the advantages of our invention can be realized from any practical or suitable way of packaging these flat overlapping newspapers into a relatively flat elongate bundle in which the papers remain in flat overlapping relationship; hence, we do not want to be limited to the packaging methods and means herein described and illustrated.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A method of packaging a succession of relatively flat flexible printed multi-sheet publications of uniform lengths and widths, such as newspapers and magazines, comprising: providing a succession of said flexible publications in flat partially overlapping relationship to form a row of predetermined width and desired length wherein the top side of each preceding publication is partially exposed and partially covered by the next succeeding publication; and, while said publications remain in row-forming partial overlapping relationship, placing said row over and depositing it on a wrapping material strip of relatively greater length, covering each side margin of the top face of the row with a strip of wrapping material, and securing said top and bottom strips so as to hold them in place and to cause said top strips to cooperate with said bottom strip to package said publications into one elongate relatively flat bundle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein: the placing step is performed by depositing said row on a wrapping material strip of relatively greater width and length; and the securing step is performed to cause said top and bottom strips to form a relatively flat wrapping material envelope enclosing said row and being of relatively greater width and length.

6 includes closing one end of said envelope to obstruct it against'the accidental removal of said'publicationsl I p 4. The method of claim- 2 wherein: said side'margins of the top face are covered by folding theside longitudinal margins of the bottom strip transversely over the top'face o fsaidrow.

5. The method ofclaim. 4 wherein: the securing step includes providing cross stripsextending from one folded side margin to the other and securing each cross strip to said folded side margins.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein: at least one cross strip is positioned at one end of the row and also secured to the bottom forming portion of said envelope.

7. The method of claim 2' including: providing an opening in one face of said package to expose the overlapping publications therein; and inserting a key bundle card through said opening and into a position designating a keybundle group. v. '1.

8. The method ofclaim 2 including: folding saidenvelope upon itself to form a thicker and shorter bundle.

9. The method of claim 2. including: providing a sucoession of said rows in spaced relation to each other and enclosing said rows within an envelope extending continuously over at least two of said spaced rows and severing said envelope between said two rows to separate one package from another.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein: said covering step includes placing a topstrip over the top face of the row to cover both side margins thereof and to overlap the bottom strip along the side and end margins thereof; and said securing step includes securing the margins of the top and bottom strips to each other to form said envelope.

11. A method of packaging newspapers and similar multi-sheet publications comprising: arranging a predetermined number of said publications in overlapping relationship and in longitudinal alignment to form an elongate row of predetermined length on a strip of flexible wrapping material which is substantially greater in width than said row whereby the side edges of said strip extend beyond the corresponding side edges of said row; folding the opposite side edges of said strip upwardly into engagement with the side edges of said row and transversely over the top face of said row; and securing said folded side edge portions of said strip in their folded position to form an envelope housing said row of publications.

12. The packa 'ng method of claim 11 wherein: the arranging step is performed with a strip having a width such that its side edge portions are laterally spaced from each other in their folded position to provide a space through which said overlapping row of publications may be exposed.

13. A continuous process of wrapping newspapers comprising: feeding an elongate strip of newspaper wrapping material into and moving it endwise along a predetermined path having a folding zone, a securing zone and a separating zone; depositing a similarly moving succession of overlapping newspapers upon said moving strip and dividing said succession into longitudinally spaced groups, each of which is transversely narrower than said strip; folding opposite longitudinal margins of said moving strip over each successive group and inwardly toward each other to form a tubular container around each successive group as it passes through the folding zone; securing the end portions of each container together in the securing zone to close the ends thereof; and separating each container from the next succeeding one in the separating zone.

14. A continuous process of wrapping newspapers comprising: depositing a continuous row of overlapped newspapers from a printing press upon a conveyor traveling along a predetermined path having a dividing zone, a wrapping material feed zone, a wrapper securing zone 3. The method of claim 2 wherein: the securing step and a wrapper separating zone; dividing said row into 7 longitudinally spaced groups of overlapped newspapers as it passes said dividing" zone; feeding an elongate strip of newspaper wrapping material onto said conveyorand depositing" said groups s'uc'cessively upon said strip as they pass into said feed zone; folding the opposite longitudinal margins of said moving strip over each successive group and inwardly toward each other to form a tubular ends thereof; and separating each container from the next succeeding one in said separating zone.

References Cited in the file of this patent Bech Oct. 9, 1934 Keplar May 28, 1935 Week July 19, 1938 Drew Dec. 12,1939 Ward Apr. 23, 1940 Campbell Sept. 15, '1942 Look Jan. 19, 1943 Read Dec. 28, 1943 Nadeau Apr. 4, 1944 Heywood Nov. 21, 1944 Irmscher Dec. 6, 1949 Gannon Sept. 5, 1950 Sykes Apr. 28, 1953 Auerbach Apr. 20, 1954 Frattinger May 4, 1954 Ringler July 3, 1956 Freiberg June 2, 1959 

